Red Sox re-sign Moreland for 1 year

BOSTON — Mitch Moreland will return to the Red Sox for at least one more season.

Boston announced the signing of the free-agent first baseman on Tuesday night. Moreland and the Red Sox agreed to a one-year, $2.5-million deal with a club option for 2021.

It will be the fourth year in Boston for the 34-year-old Moreland, who appeared in 91 games in 2019. His .835 OPS included 19 home runs and 17 doubles in just 335 plate appearances. Moreland was limited by a pair of stints on the injured list, battling lower back soreness and a strained right quadriceps.

Moreland was one of several Red Sox players with an expiring contract this offseason, and he’s the only one to be retained to date. Starting pitcher Rick Porcello inked a one-year deal with the Mets, first baseman Steve Pearce is reportedly leaning toward retirement and utilityman Brock Holt remains on the market. Moreland sounded open to a return on the final day of the 2019 regular season, a Boston victory over the Orioles at Fenway Park.

“It might not be the same group here, but it still could be,” Moreland said. “You can’t even tell what’s going to happen. Until it happens, I can’t really speak on it a whole lot. I just know that my time here was a lot of fun.”

Moreland represents a value signing at a position of relative uncertainty for the Red Sox. Top prospect Triston Casas appears to be the future at first base but hasn’t played a game above Class A and turned 20 on Jan. 15. Sam Travis was traded to the Rangers earlier this month and Boston’s other likely option, Bobby Dalbec, has appeared in just 30 games about the Double-A level.

Moreland’s option for 2021 will be just $3 million, with a $500,000 club buyout. Boston designated right-hander Denyi Reyes for assignment to clear a 40-man roster spot for Moreland.